Are peppers heavy feeders?

[Fert1]

I was just wondering if pepper plants are heavy feeders. Mine were growing like gangbusters for a while, but seem to be slowing down now, and I was wondering if I might need to give them a little fertilizer.

I tilled compost and other soil amendments into the mix when I first set them out.

[username5]

Originally Posted by Fert1

I was just wondering if pepper plants are heavy feeders. Mine were growing like gangbusters for a while, but seem to be slowing down now, and I was wondering if I might need to give them a little fertilizer.

I tilled compost and other soil amendments into the mix when I first set them out.

In my experience peppers are not heavy feeders, but they need something. A soil well amended with organic mater in advance of planting should provide sufficient fertility for a good crop.

Have they set fruit?

Generally there isn't any harm in going with a little low N fert with a watering to see if they pick up.

I am not sure what 'stage' your peppers are at compared to mine, but in my zone 5 WI hot peppers have set about all the fruit they are going to and are ripening it. Bells have also set lots of fruit and are about done with the major production period. They may form more fruits, but the plants are pretty full as it is so I don't expect much more from them.

[Fert1]

My plants have set fruit, and for a while the fruit was growing rapidly. Now it seems to have come to a halt. It's not dying, just not progressing any more if you know what I mean. What would cause that?

I'm growing 2 different types of pell peppers, a couple of pimentos and a Jimmy Nardello. Of all of them, the Jimmy Nardello is probably doing best. The pimentos are pretty heavily loaded up with fruit, but nothing is in a hurry to mature. The Jimmy Nardello is the only one that seems to be continuing to show any growth.

[shelleybean]

It sounds like your peppers have reached their full size and are getting ready to turn red or gold or orange. Sometimes the color change takes up to a month. After you cut some peppers from the plant, then it should have the energy to produce some more babies. Right now, it's putting its energy into ripening the existing fruit. That's if you've been waiting less than four weeks. If you've been waiting longer, then I certainly understand your concern. But no, I would not say peppers are heavy feeders and you should especially avoid high nitrogen fertilizers, as stated above. I just add a two inch layer of compost to the bed and beyond that, I don't feed my peppers anything. Good luck to you!

[mdvpc]

Shellybean's advice is good unless you are growing in containers-if you are, you need to fertilize much more than if you are growing in the ground.

[Fert1]

Mine are in the ground. Some of the peppers that have stopped growing are small and nowhere near full-sized, but all the plants do have a mature pepper or two. So maybe that's it. Until it ripens the mature ones, it may not do anything to further develop the others. Okay. That makes sense. All of the plants except one look healthy enough. Not sure what's wrong with the one, it has been very wilty looking lately.

[mdvpc]

Your plants should have a lot more than one or two peppers by now. Something is wrong. If I were you, I would hit them with some liquid fert by foliar and soil drench. If its a disease they are going down anyway, if its lack of nutrients, you should know pretty quick. Only my 2 cents worth.

[Fert1]

Well, I did get a pretty late start with my peppers this year. I will give them a little fertilizer and see if it has any effect.